johnson



A. C. JOHNSON.

MACHINE RECORDER.

MFLCRTION 'HLED SEPT.12. 912. 1,323,062., Patented Nov. 25,1919.

' 1 5 $HETSSHEEI' l.

A. C. JOHNSON.

MACHINE RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1912.

'1 323,062. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEEI' 2.

. A. CJOHNSONJ MACHINE RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1912.

Patented N0vf25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

lllllll' Y to A. [3...10RNSON.

MACHINE RECORDER.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I2, 1912.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A. C. JOHNSON.

MACHINE H ECORDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1912.

'1 323,062 Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEEI 5.

I llllfi llll UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE,

AUSTIN C. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

IRODUC'IION METER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE. e I I .MACHINE-RECORDER.

,3g3, Specification of Letters Patentt t 25, 91

Application filedseptember 12, 1am. I sm1m-. 719,9s7.

To all whom it may concernf- 1 Be it known that I, AUSTIN Q JOHNSON, the net production time from the full runa citizen of the United States, residing at hing time of any operator. or machine with- Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Loutcan'alyz'ing the Whole chart, which would Illinois, have invented certain new and usebe practically impossible, owing to the ful Improvements in Machine-Recorders, of. minute delays Occurring on certain mawhich the following is a specification. chin'eryQ For this purpose I have provided My invention relates-to recording devices anaccumulator which differentiates between and has 'pgrticular reference to anovel indi-- idle and producing time and totals produccating an recording meter for use in contive'time only as it occurs during the day. nection with the machines in operation in It will be understood that such devices manufacturing establishments. ar'eoften applied to machines which operate One of the principal objects of this mawith great rapidity, such for instance, as chine is to establish the only equitablebasis punchlng machines, in which an operation on which to pay labor,-the productivemay require but one second; assuming an hour basis. It has been found that both day inoperative period of an equal duration, it work and piece workretards rather than will be seen that the recording machine must increases output and that if an absolutely reregister 30 operations and 30 periods of rest liable meter could be built which would 210- each, minute. I If the recording device fails curately record the 'net producing time of toregister with absolute accuracy the duraeach operator, (withoutthe enormous delay tion of each operation, even to a fraction of and expense of installin so-called' efficiency a second, the total time for the entire day systems), so that he couId be paid a greatly will be decidedly inaccurate and unsatisfacincreased hour rate for producing time "and tory as a basis. on which -to compensate the a correspondingly reduced rate 'or nothing workman. Thus, a'machine in order to be at all for idle time, (for which he alone was satisfactory to the employer and workman responsible), it would in time eliminate must be unquestionably accurate. I have labor'troubles, greatly enhance the earning found that to attain this accuracy the recapacity of the average workman and materially reduce the cost of production. simple form, including the smallest possible In the preferred form, the operative and number of working parts, and must be inoperative periods of the machine are autodriven in the most direct manner possible.

cording device must be of an exceedingly absolute accuracy, and exhibit at a glance.

I .maticallv registered on a chart and the op-v By securinga substantially direct drive any erative periods simultaneously accumulated back-lash is eliminated. Furthermore, I to the end'that performance of the machine have discovered that the brake by means of in the shop shall be in constant View, and whlch the recording device is stopped and at the end of the day or other period-of oppermitted to start must be applied directly eration the total of all the productive work to the recording element. There being no of the machine for that period shall be at interposed gearing, the opportunity for hand. My invention contemplates a device back-lash orplay is reduced. tova minimum. which may. be located at a point removed It is the custom to provide a device of from the machine the Work of which is to be this sort which shall have operative connecregistered, which device shall include a con tions with a large number of, say fifty, ma-

stan'tly movable visible sheet, means for chines in a shop. This requires fifty markmarking on the sheet the operative and ining devices and fifty accumulators. My inoperative periods of the distant machine, tovention contemplates the employment of a gether with means inv the form of an acpair of drums upon which a sheet of paper cumulator which registers the total of the may be mounted, this drum being operated operative work performed by the "distant by suitable clock; mechanism; and a series of machine during any given period. accumulator units, one for each machine to -Mchanism b means of which some of the be registered, each unit being removable, adabovesnamed o jects maybe attained, n, I justable, and self-contained; that is, the believe, old in the art. However, it has been unit which isbodily removable contains the found diflicult to provide mechanism which entire mechanism .by means of which ,the shall record the periods of operation with visual marking is accomplished and thetotal of operative time of the machine registered. An advantage resulting from this construction is in that any oneof the units which may become inoperative from any cause may be quickly disengaged and another substituted without stopping the operation of the machine or the other units, or causing a material break in the accumulation .of time A furof the machine connected thereto.

ther object in the provision of the unitary time.

. .My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my 'invention;

Fig.2 is a side elevation with the outer casing broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view partly in section showing a number of accumulator units and the actuating means therefor;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged frcut elevation partly in section;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail elevation of my novel unit, showing accumulatorwheel and the magnetic control for the marking device;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig 6; I I

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail elevatlon of a portion of the power-shaft showing the mounting of the unit-operating gears;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the accumulator ear, the view being taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 6

Fig. 10 is a detail of the rod carrying the bent pins by means of which tne marking arms are moved, thus releasing the brakes from the accumulator gear wheels during the re-setting of the wheels, and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation of the dial appearing on the units.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. it will be seen that I provide a base 20 supported by suitable legs and carrying an ou er casing 21, the front face 22 of which is preferably composed of glass in order that the operation of the machine may be observed. Projecting upwardly from the base 20 are brackets 23 carrying suitable bearings, within which is mounted a shaft 24, supporting a drum 25. Projecting from each vbracket .23 is an integral arm 26 carrycaused to rotatewith the shaft 45.

' projected u wardly from the arm 26, being seated in a aring 31 therein. This standardis provided at its upper end with a bearing within which a shaft 32 is mounted, this shaft carrying a drum 33. In practice, a sheet of paper is mounted on the drums 25, 28, and 33 and is caused to travel with the rotation of the drums. Motion is transmitted to the shaft 24 by a large gear 34.

Projecting upwardly from the base 20 are small brackets 35, 35, within which are pinned transverse shafts 36. 'ihese shafts serve as guides or ways for the support and control of a table 37 having downwardlyprojecting bearing-portions 38, 39 thereon. These bearing-portions cooperate with the shafts 36, sliding thereon as the table is moved longitudinally of the shafts- One of the bearings 39 is bifurcated at its lower end and accommodates a cam-40, mounted on shaft 41. This shaft 41 is mounted in bearings 42 at either end of machine, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A handle 43 operatively connected to the shaft 41 permits the rotation of the same in orderto accomplish the backwardand forward movement of the table within the limits allowed by the throw of the cam.

Upon the table 37 are carriedupwardlyprojecting brackets 44 at either end of the machine, these brackets being provided with bearings at their upper ends within which is mounted the transverse powershaft 45, This shaft carries at one end a clock mechanism 46 and on the other end a suitable weight 47, by means of which the shaft is caused to rotate as permitted by the clock movement. The shaft 45 takes the place of the spring barrel in the clock -mechanism, there being no spring employed.

- A handle 48 is provided on shaft 45, whereby the weight may be elevated or rewound, and for another purpose,- later to be described. The shaft 45 is provided at either end with pinions 48 meshing with the large gears 34 connected to the drumshaft 24. Thus, the motion of the shaft is transmitted to cause the travel of the chart or sheet mounted on the drums.

' As shown in Fig. '8, the pinion 48 is provided with a sleeve 49, through which is passed a pin 50. Thus the pinion 48 is At intervals in the length of the shaft 45, collars 51 are mounted, these being suitably secured to the shaft by means of pins 52. Gems 53 are mounted between the collars 51 and are held in proper relation by means of fiat springs 54. Thus the gears 53 are frictionally held on the shaft 45.

Extending between the ,lbrackets 44 is a bar 55 carrying on one side of its face a carries on its overhung end a marker arm plurality of electric contact members 56 to which electric conductors 57 are connected v(Fig. 3). Also extending between the brackets 44*is a bar 58 having a plurality of set-screws 59 therein. These set-screws serve as abutments or stops for the units about to be described.

The units which form an important part of my invention are of extremely simple construction and arecomposed of a frame 60, having 'a' slot 61 in the base, Fig. 6, and provided with bearings within which a short shaft 62 is mounted. This shaft 63, having a suitable marking device 64 at its free end. This shaft 62 has suitably secured thereto an iron plate 65, which .plate, at its upper end acts as a brake on the accumulator gear'later to be described, and at its lower end cofiperates with the cores 66 of suitable magnets 67. Electricalconnections are made between the magnets and two terminals 68, which terminals cooperate with thespring contact members 56, as best shown in Figs, 3 and 4. The iron plates 65 are normally held out of contact with the cores 66 by means of a compression spring 69 held in an apertured lug 7 0 formed as a part of frame 60. Thus, when the magnets are deenergized, plate 65 is moved, and its upper end brought into braking. contact with the accummulator gear: It will be understood, that each movement of the plate 65 rocks shaft 62 and so causes a corresponding movement of the marker 63.

The accumulator of my invention comprises a large gear 71 mounted on a short shaft 72 held by the-walls of the casing 7 3. This gear is provided on. one face with a spiral groove 74, within which a pin 75 fixed in a pivoted lever 76 may travel. The lever 76 is pivoted at 77 to the casing The number of turns of the spiral is optional. However, in practice, I prefer to provide twelve, each groove representing an hour, it being intended that the gear 71 shall rotate once each hour of operative production of the machine connected thereto. Also mount- 78 travels with the shaft 72 and the gear 71 and causes the travel of the arm 80 through its entire arc of movement for each revolution. After the arm reaches the high:

est point of the cam, as shown in Figs. 6 and 9, the pin will pass over the point and allow the arm to drop. The gear 71 meshes with one of the gears 53, which are frictionally held on power-shaft 45. Thus, for each .revolution of the power-shaft, the accumulator gear and the cam 78 rotate an equal amount. The arm 80 controlled by the cam 78 registering minutes, and the arm 76 controlled by the spiral groove registering hours, it will be seen that when the shaft'72 has made a complete revolution, the indicator will show that sixty minutes of time have been accumulated. This accumulation of sixty minutes may have extended over several hours of elapsed time, the amount indicated on the accumulator being only the amount of actual productive time of the machine. The marker 63 is placed whereby its point 64 is in engagement withthe chart on the drums, as shown' in Fig. 3. At each break in the electric current the iron plate 65 is moved, thus causing a corresponding movement of the marker, which movement is indicated on the chart. When the current is on, which indicates that a machine is in operation, the magnets withdraw plate from contact with the gear 71, thus permitting it to rotate under the drive of the gear 53 on the power-shaft 45. When the current is ofl indicating a machine'not in operation, the coil spring 69 will force the plate 65 into braking engagement with the accumulator gear 71, preventing its rotation. This causes slippage of the gear 53 on shaft 45.

In Fig 6 I have shown diagrammatically, a circuit by means of which the operative production of a machine is registered. In

It will be'seen thatas the material passes through the machine the switch 84 is actuated, thus closing the circuit. A suitable battery or other source of electric energy is interposed in the circuit. The circuit is not .closed, and the recording machine actuated,

until the switch controlled by the belt shifter is closed, thus beginning the operation of the machine, and work .is passing through the shop machine. Thus, if the belt shifter were thrown and the shop machine running idle without work passing therethrough, the I indicator would show the machine to be idle; also, if work were placed in the machine and the belt shifter reversed, the recording device would show the machine to be idle.

The units described are secured to the table 37 by suitable set-screws 88, the table being slotted, as at 89 in Fig. 6, to permit a slight longitudinal adjustment of the unit as required in order to bring the marking point 64 into proper relation with the chart. The groove 61 in the bottom of the unit cooperates with a rib 90 on the table 37, thus centerin the unit as required. The inner stop or a utment for the unit is the set-screw 59 as heretofore described.

After the completion of a days work, or a given period of operation, the totals of the accumulator units are recorded and the accumulators re-set at naught. This is accomplished as follows:

First, the operator by means of the handle 43, rotates the shaft 41 carrying cams 40. The table 37 carrying the power-shaft 45 and the different units is retracted, thus disengaging the pinion 48 from the gear 34. A new chart or sheet is then supplied to the drums. While the table is held in its retrac'ted position the handle 48 is rotated, thus moving the power-shaft and winding up the weights 47; This action tends to rotate the gears 53, which are frictionally held on said shaft 45. However, as the machines in the shop are presumably inoperative at that time, the accumulator gears will be prevented from rotation because of the brakes 65. Thus the accumulators could not be re-set. I have, therefore, provided as shown in Fig. 5, and in detail in Fig. 10, a bar 91 suitably connected to brackets 92 securedto the bracket 26. On the bar 91 I provide a plurality of bent pins 93 lying in the plane of the upper ends of the markers 63. As the table 37 carrying the units is retracted, the markers contacting the pins 93 will be moved and plates 65 disengaged from the accumulators gear 71. Then, when the crank 48 is rotated, the accumulator gear will likewise be rotated and the indicator levers 76, 80 returned to normal position. It will be understood that only one rotation is'necessary to return the marker 80 to its lowermost position and that a relatively larger number of rotations are necessary to return the indicator 76 in view of the fact that such indicator must return through the series of spiral grooves. Therefore, the cam 78 is provided with a frictional engagement with the shaft 72, permitting saidshaft 72 and gear 71 to be reversed.

The connection of the shaft 45 to the clock movement must likewise be non-positive in one direction, as will be well understood. I have, therefore, provided a pair of disks 94, 95, the former being pinned to the shaft and carrying a pawl and the latter being connected with the clock mechanism and carrying a. ratchet. Thus, in one direction the connection with the clock mechanism is positive, whereas in the opposite direction it may be rotated freely.

The indicators 76 and 80 are provided at their free ends with pointers 96, 97. These 'to its former position and bringing the markers into engagement with the chart and the pinions 48 in engagement with the gears 34. The machine is then ready for another series of operations,

It will be noted by the construction described, that the accumulator mechanism is very directly connected to the power-shaft, there being but one gear connection between the two. The possibility of inaccuracy is, therefore, practically eliminated. Furthermore, by the extreme simplicity of the construction, the liability of the device becoming inoperative is reduced. In case, however, any unit should become inoperative for any reason that unit may be quickly disengaged and another supplied without interrupting the operation of the other units. This is an important advantage, and I consider the provision of the unitary self-contained adjustable units as an important feature of my invention.

The instrumentalities herein described are in many cases typical, and are subject to many modifications. Such modifications as are within the scope of my claims I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a continuously moving record sheet, of an electric circuit, a switch, means for automatically and intermittently actuating said switch to close said circuit, and a recording unit interposed in said circuit, said recording unit being arranged to make a continuous record on said sheet during a predetermined position of said switch, and being readily detachable from said circuit as a unitary structure without affecting the mechanism for imparting continuous movement to said record sheet.

2. The combination with a recordsheet, of an electric circuit comprising aswitch and an electrically actuated recorder ar ranged to make a continuous record on said sheet during a predetermined position of said switch, said recorder being slidably connected in said circuit so as to be detachable therefrom without said record and its immediate actuating mechanism, being slidablv connected in said circuit so as to bedetachable. therefrom as a. unitary structure.

The combination with a record sheet, of an electric circuit. comprising a switch, an

electrically actuated recorder arranged to make a continuous record on said sheet dur-- ing a. predetermined position of said switch,

an accumulator arranged to currently record the totals intermittently or continuously recorded by said recorder, a drive mechanism,

a friction gear interposed between said drive mechanism and said accumulator, and an electrically operated brake adapted to stop the operation of said accumulator during a predetermined position of said switch, said accumulator and said switch being assembled as a unit slidably connected in said circuit and with said drive mechanism so as to be detachable therefrom as .a unitary structure.

4. The combination with a record sheet, of an electric circuit comprising a switch automatically and intermittently actuated to close said circuit, and a recording and accumulating unit interposed in said circuit and adapted to make a continuous record on said sheet during a predetermined position of said switch, the accumulating element of said unit being arranged to show currently the totals of said record, said unit being detachable from said circuit as a unitary structure.

5. The combination with a continuously moving record sheet, of drive mechanism for moving said sheet, an electric circuit, a

switch automatically and intermittently-actuated to close said circuit, a recorder mterposed in said circuit and arranged to make operation of the record sheet driving mechamsm. p v

6. The combination with a continuously moving record sheet, of an intermittently operated recorder adapted when in a cer-. tain position to make a continuous record on said sheet, an accumulator comprising a pointer arm adapted to show the totals ofsuch records, a pointer arm adapted to indi-' cate a fractional part of said totals, a brake normally set to prevent the operation of said accumulator, but actuated by the movement of the recorder in the recording position to release the accumulator.

7. In a device of the class described, an

accumulator comprising a plate provided with a spiral groove on one side, a pointer arm provided with a pin resting in sa1d groove whereby the rotation of said plate will progressively change the position of said pointer arm to indicate the totals by certain mechanical operations, and a second pointer arm adapted to be moved from the lowest point of record to the highest point of record for each complete revolution ofv certain mechanical operations, said plate being provided on its opposite side with a cam having a straight face extending on'a line from ,its highest point to' its axis, and a progressivel curved face from the bottom of said stralght face to said highest point, a pointer arm provided with a pin adapted to ride upon said curved face until said arm has been caused to travel to a point of maximum record whereupon said pin drops over said straight face and said arm is carried back to the point of lowest record.

9.-In a device of the class described, a time recorder or accumulator consisting of a disk provided on one face with a cam having a straight face radial to said disk, and a progressively curved face leading from the lowest ,point of said straight face to the highest point thereof, a pivoted record arm provided with a pin adapted to ride on or against the faces of said cam whereby said record arm is carried from the highest record point during each rotation of said disk and is automatically dropped back to the point of beginning, the opposite faces of said disk being provided with a spiral groove and a pivoted record arm provided with a pin arranged to ride in said spiral groove whereby the rotation of said disk will cause said record arm to progressively travel from the point of lowest record to the point of maximum record.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a continuously moving record sheet, of drive mechanism therefor,

an electric circuit, a switch intermittently and automatically. actuated to close said circuit, a recorder automatically moved to recording position against said sheet bythe closure of said circuit and automatically moved to a different position by the opening of said circuit, an accumulator arranged to automatically and currently record the totals of the records made by said recorder when in a given position, said recorder and accumulator being combined in a single unit detachable as an entirety from said circuit and mechanism.

11. In a machine of the class described, a

removable recording and accumulating unit comprising drive mechanism, a friction gear between sa1d drive mechanism and the accumulating element of said unit, means for said recorder, and means for permitting said accumulator to operate only during a certain position of the recorder and for preventing such, operation during any other. position of said recorder, said accumulating and recording unit bein so assembled as to be removable from saio'r machine as an entirety.

12. The combination of a record sheet, and means for moving the same, a plurality of separately removable accumulating units, means associated with said units adapted to mark said sheet, electrically controlled means for actuating said accumulating and marking mechanisms, and means actuated by the operation of a shop machine to close an electric circuit to actuate said electrically controlled means.

13. In a recording device, the combination of a movable record sheet, a marker, an accumulator and a single magnetically actuated means for controlling both the marker and the accumulator, said marker,-

accumulator and controlling means being associated in a single housing and removable as a whole from its connection with the drum, an electric circuit, and means actuated by the operation of ashop machine for closing said circuit to actuate said magnetically actuated 'means, substantially as described.

14. In a recording device, the combination of a base, a drum mounted on said base and carrying a chart, a plurality of marking and accumulating units mounted on said base and adapted for synchronous movement with said chart, said marking and accumulating units being each independently removable from said base, substantially as described.

15. In a recording device, the combination of a base, a drum and a chart carried by said drum, a plurality of independent removable marking and accumulating devices associated with said base and adapted to cooperate with said chart, means for synchronously actuatin said chart and said marking and ,accumu ating devices, a single electrically actuated means for controlling both said marker and said accumulator, an electric circuit, and means actuated by the operation of a shop machine for closing said circuit to actuate said controlling means,

substantially as described. a

16. In a recording device, the combination of a base, a chart movably mounted on said base, a table mounted for limited movement relative to said base, a plurality ofmarkin and accumulating devices mounted on sald table, means for actuating said chart and said marking and accumulating devices, said last named device being adapted to be disconnected from said chart upon movement of the table in one direction, substantially as described.

17. In a recording device,.the combination of a base, a chartsuperposed on said base and adapted for travel relative thereto, a table mounted for limited movement toward and from said chart, a power shaft carried by said table, clock mechanism for causing the rotation of said power shaft, a plurality of marking and accumulating devices mounted on said table and in operative engagement with said power shaft, and means for moving said table toward and from said chart, substantially as described.

, 18. A combined marking and accumulating unit comprising in combination, a frame, a marker, an accumulator gear, a pointer arm controlled by said gear to indicate the total of predetermined periods, a second pointer arm adapted to indicate a fractional portion of one of said periods, and

a single electrically controlled means forv actuating said marker and permitting the operation of said pointer arms, substantially as described.

19. In a combined marking and accumulating unit, the combination of a frame, an oscillatory marker, a magnet for controlling the oscillation of said marker, an accumulator gear rigidly mounted on a a shaft, an accumulator cam non-positively mounted on the same shaft, and indicating devices operated by said gear and said cam, substan-.

tially as described. I

20. In a combined marking and accumulating unit, the combination of a frame, an oscillatory marker mounted in said frame, a magnet controlling the oscillations of said marker, an accumulator wheel, one face of which contains a spiral groove, an accumulator cam, means for actuating said wheel and cam and indicating devices coiiperating with the groove in said wheel and with the surface of said cam, substantially as described.

. 21. The combination with a continuously moving record sheet and means for o erating the same, of a plurality of accumu ating units adapted to be operated by said operating means, each uniti comprising a marking arm and a brake for the accumulating unit arranged to move in unison with said marking arm, means whereby all of said marking arms may be simultaneously operated to release all of said brakes in combination with means for reversing the movement of said accumulators. AUSTIN (l. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. MURRAY, 'HENRY M. HUXLEY. 

